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About Susan Crawford

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Parent Category: RokStories

Published on Thursday, 26 August 2010 05:01

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Executive Director and founder, Susan Crawford, MSW, RSW, has specialized in the areas of anti-discrimination, mixed-race identity development and transracial adoption for over 9 years utilizing her personal, academic and professional expertise. 

Susan is a graduate of the Master of Social Work program from the University of Toronto (2003) where she researched the influences on identity of mixed race youth from a Canadian perspective. This research uncovered for her the similarities between children of mixed race and transracial adoptees as they learn to negotiate their complex identities to develop strong, confident senses of self. Upon graduation, Susan began working with a local Children’s Aid Society where she was given the opportunity to put her education, life experience, and professional expertise into practice, facilitating workshops for prospective adoptive and foster parents interested in caring for children transracially. Her unique expertise was rare and opportunities for her professional development began to evolve.

In 2004, Susan began her work at Halton Multicultural Council as a Youth Worker facilitating Anti-discrimination workshops for students in the Halton School Boards. Over the past 4 years she worked in various capacities including Job Search Program Coordinator and Diversity trainer. 

In her various capacities at HMC, Susan has always strived to develop a proposal with transracial families in mind. In 2007, Susan secured funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation for a 3-year research and development project entitled the Transracial Parenting Initiative. It was a solid, innovative proposal that addressed the specific needs of Ontario families and their children.  This project comprised of a comprehensive literature review, a parent online survey and focus group needs assessment, creation of a Canadian educational training video, development of a training curriculum and a take away resource for parents.

Susan is passionate about inspiring change. She has drawn on her personal, academic and professional expertise in the area of diversity, inclusion, and parenting to support children, families and service providers.